Philippine Endurance Cup

Some links you might want to read up:

From Kotse.com
http://www.kotse.com/home/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=517%3Aanim-na-oras-ng-pilipinas-2011&Itemid=166

From HotBits
http://www.hotbits.org/motorsport-detail.aspx?id=18

From Philippine Star
http://www.philstar.com/sportsarticle.aspx?articleid=757292&publicationsubcategoryid=69

From Remate
http://www.remate.ph/2011/12/anim-na-oras-ng-pilipinas/


Of course all the documentations were pointing to who's the winner and all, but i hope you guys were there on the event itself, to see and feel the spontaneity of the event.

Drama is a word that would be able to sum it up.

Half way through the race, driver change happened. I'm the next one after Mark Arce, I never really thought that there would be any overtaking thats going to happen. Before me there were'nt much of overtaking but things get heated up when we were trying to gain laps from the 2nd placer on FM2. During the whole time, I was on track i was able to pull a lead of 3 laps and yet our pit crew were saying im behind by 2 laps... The manager was wanting me to push another 2 more laps before i pit in and have a driver change...

I kept pushing the car, i was giving feedback from time to time on how much fuel i still have and kept on reminding the pit about the health of my tires. I keep on saying "Tires are busted" over the radio. I really dont have a way to tell how much tire i have when running non stop and full throttle. All I know is that the car is not turning well and there's a certain feeling that the tires are not gripping.

I still kept on pushing already, gained 4 laps and then boom.... i was exiting the chicane and the front left tire burst. I lost 1 front tire and lost electrical power. I had to pullover. I tried checking the battery terminals hoping it just came loose but its not. I checked the fusebox and didn't found any blown fuse. I had to let the PIT now about this, I tried the radio but apparently the frequency has been changed unknowingly and i dont know my teams frequency. i have to walk to the pits and ask for some help.

And all of a sudden all 4 laps gained was lost, everybody thought that its the end of the race for MLPH MSC FM2 team but the team pulled it off. Thanks to Raffy! (Chief Mechanic) we just need to put the power back and have the car limp to the pit for tire replacement.

In short, Raffy was able to find the problem. There was a blown fuse! I have missed it big time.
I was able to limp the car back to the pits for tire change but the car was plagued due to an open wire caused by the blown tire. it kept on bugging the driver after me. It has to be pitted in again and cover the wires. After that the car ran smooth again.

BUT we were already lagging behind by so many laps that we were only on the 3rd position for FM2.

Moral of the story:
Prepare - had it been known the tires capability before the race, we could have approximate the number of laps before it bursts. Simulation was key and most scenarios should be covered.

No procrastination - all things that can be done ahead of time should be done ahead of time.

Objective should be same for the whole team.
Some participate to be part of history. Some are trying to create history.